Support for Businesses during the Coronavirus Crisis

 On Friday, February 5, 2021, Governor Tom Wolf signed into law, legislation setting aside $145 million in funds to aid hospitality industry businesses adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the program requires counties to establish grant programs for these eligible businesses. The initiative will be known as  CHIRP: “COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program.”

Attached, are details outlining this program. 

The Paycheck Protection Program established by the CARES Act, is implemented by the Small Business Administration with support from the Department of the Treasury.  This program provides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.

The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $659 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses.

Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, Veterans organizations, and Tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards.

Delco Strong #3

Non-Profit Program:

Delco Strong 3 for Non-Profits is being administered by The Foundation for Delaware County. Applications will be accepted between November 2nd and November 13th. Non-Profit program guidance and application instructions can be found here: https://delcofoundation.org/delco-strong-3/

Business Program:

Delco Strong 3 for Businesses will accept applications between November 2nd and November 6th. Business program guidance and application instructions are below.

The COVID-19 Cultural and Museum Preservation Grant Program provides grants to cultural organizations and museums that experienced a loss of revenue from the closure by the proclamation of disaster emergency by the Governor and any renewal of the state of disaster emergency.

Eligible cultural organizations or museums must be one of the following categories to be eligible:

Children’s Museum

General Museum with at least two equally significant disciplines

History Museum or Historical Site

Military or Maritime Museum

Natural History Museum

Accredited Zoo

Planetarium

Science and Technology Center

Orchestra

Art Museum

Performing Arts Organization

The maximum grant is $500,000 per eligible cultural organization or museum. The minimum grant is $25,000 per eligible cultural organization or museum..

 These grants provide an emergency advance of up to $10,000 to small businesses and private non-profits harmed by COVID-19 within three days of applying for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). To access the advance, you first apply for an EIDL and then request the advance. The advance does not need to be repaid under any circumstance, and may be used to keep employees on payroll, to pay for sick leave, meet increased production costs due to supply chain disruptions, or pay business obligations, including debts, rent and mortgage payments.  

  The SBA Debt Relief program will provide a reprieve to small businesses as they overcome the challenges created by this health crisis.

The SBA will pay the principal and interest of current 7(a) loans for a period of six months.

The SBA will also pay the principal and interest of new 7(a) loans issued prior to September 27, 2020.

More details in the coming days.

NOTE:  As of 4/1, applications have been paused because requests have surpassed the $61 million available.  Stay tuned for additional funding announcements

$61 million allocated to the Small Business First Fund to provide loans of $100,000 or less to for-profit businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees.   The money is to help cover rent, utilities and other unavoidable bills but can't be used for personnel costs.

 If any of the following have happened to you at work because of the coronavirus pandemic or its impact:

Your hours have been reduced 

You have been temporarily laid off or your workplace closed

You were you sent home from work due to minor symptoms related to coronavirus

Your work was interrupted to care for a family member

You were fired when you refused to work in unsafe conditions

You quit to avoid unsafe conditions

Apply for Unemployment Compensation!

A Shared-Work plan allows an employer to temporarily reduce the work hours of a group of employees and divide the available hours equally rather than laying off any employees. Employees covered by a Shared-Work plan receive a percentage of their Unemployment Compensation (UC) Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA), while they work the reduced schedule, if they are otherwise eligible for UC. Rapid Response Line: 717-503-7901